Facebook to introduce the dreaded ads!

Are Facebook ads a clever or costly idea? Now, depending on the angle you’re looking, this could either be the best news you’ve heard today or potentially ruin your Facebook viewing habits!

Announced today (Tuesday 10th January), Facebook is looking at adding adverts into video content as a means to fully compete with streaming giant, YouTube. Like the Google-owned social network, Facebook will be offering 55% of the revenue generated to makers of the video content while holding on to the other 45%. Great news for those that make daily videos such as British prankster Ben Phillips, whose videos rack up millions of views.

However, there is a slight oversight in the social giant’s plan. It is currently suggested that adverts could be placed 20 seconds into videos that last 90 seconds or longer, a clear difference from YouTube’s ads which play before a video. This means while watching a prank unfold or beauty guru, you could be interrupted by an ad for a toilet cleaner; which we’re sure you’ll agree with, kinda kills the vibe.

The question remains, should Facebook pursue the idea of ads? How would this affect your viewing habits? Would you, as the viewer, be happy to sit through an ad to finish your video or would the idea totally put you off, forcing you to look for content elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts over on our Twitter – @DATSPR